Stellar Transformation-Chapter 141 - 6 episodes 10 - s Silent Interrogation (Fang Qie requests monthly votes!)
Qin Yu’s martial prowess surpasses that of Cha Hong, yet he willingly serves as the protector of Red Blood Cave Mansion, becoming a subordinate to Cha Hong. This inexplicable fact naturally aroused suspicion among the three princes, who even doubted whether Qin Yu was affiliated with Green Dragon Palace or Bishui Mansion!
They suspected Qin Yu was there for the Nine Sword Treasures.
"Why has Cave Master Qin Yu suddenly become mute?" Di Luan said with a cold sneer, looking at Qin Yu. Di Qing and Di Jian also stared at Qin Yu, clearly ready to capture him immediately if his answer was unsatisfactory.
Qin Yu sighed, "Three princes, do you really need to ask such a simple question? With your wisdom, can’t you see the obvious?"
Di Luan and the others were taken aback by Qin Yu’s response.
"Princes, I don’t have much of a reputation in these waters. As someone without renown, do you think many would accept me directly taking the position of Cave Master?" Qin Yu said to the three princes helplessly.
Di Luan countered, "Strength is supreme. If you killed Cha Hong, who would dare to resist?"
Qin Yu immediately replied, "Prince, you say ’killed Cha Hong,’ but was Cha Hong alone? No, he had so many protectors. If I were to kill him, I naturally would have to kill many expert protectors too. By then, if I became the Cave Master, wouldn’t I have killed off my own support? Moreover, at that time, I did not have the strength I have now."
"Oh?" Di Luan looked at Qin Yu skeptically.
Qin Yu said with a smile, "If the three princes inquire carefully, you will understand. In Red Blood Cave Mansion, I once undertook closed-door cultivation and greatly increased my strength. Before this, I did not have the power to defeat Cha Hong. It was only after the cultivation that I gained the strength to defeat him."
A cold light flashed in Di Luan’s eyes.
"Did your closed-door cultivation occur before Cha Hong’s death or after?" Di Luan asked sternly.
Di Luan, Di Jian, and Di Qing all noticed the problem in Qin Yu’s words. If Qin Yu’s strength had improved before Cha Hong’s death, there would be no issue. But if Qin Yu’s strength increased after Cha Hong’s death, then he might have had the opportunity to kill Cha Hong.
"Before!"
Qin Yu stated confidently.
"Are you sure?" Di Luan sneered. "Lying is not a good habit. Later on, we can ask anyone, and everyone will testify."
Qin Yu said with a smile, "You may ask anyone. For nearly a hundred years, most of Cha Hong’s time was spent in closed-door cultivation. When everyone discovered Cha Hong’s death, they began discussing who the new Cave Master should be. Afterward, we had a contest, and I defeated Teng Bi."
"I know the three princes suspect that I killed Cha Hong and devoured his Nascent Soul. However, if I killed Cha Hong, consuming his Nascent Soul would have taken at least a few days, while the contest with Teng Bi took place on the very day of Cha Hong’s death. Even if I had killed Cha Hong, there would have been no time to devour his Nascent Soul."
Qin Yu smiled at the three princes, "I trust the princes understand my point."
Di Luan, Di Jian, and Di Qing exchanged glances without saying anything.
The Nascent Soul of an early-stage Cave Void requires several days to devour. Furthermore, the Soul Jade Scroll has its daily checks. Hence, they found out about Cha Hong’s death definitely within a day, maybe even shortly after his death occurred.
In such a short span of time, even if Qin Yu continuously devoured it, he could not possibly have gained much strength.
Suddenly, Di Qing said, "You just mentioned that Cha Hong frequently cultivated in seclusion for a hundred years, correct?"
Qin Yu felt a surge of relief inside. In his eyes, although the death of the Eighth Prince of Nine Evils Hall was significant, one of the Nine Swords also drew attention. If he could shift the focus of the three princes onto the Jade Sword, the situation would be much more favorable.
"Yes, this is well-known by many here, and furthermore, Cha Hong strictly ordered that no one should disturb his seclusion," Qin Yu responded honestly.
Di Qing and Di Luan exchanged looks.
"Old Qi, it seems that Cha Hong was indeed trying to break the ’Dust Removal Restriction’ in the Black Jade Box. A Red Blood Water Python in the early-stage Cave Void would indeed need a hundred years to break an Immortal’s ’Dust Removal Restriction.’ Cha Hong really is pitiable, spending a hundred years to break that restriction," Di Qing communicated through spiritual sense.
Di Qing and the others remembered clearly that when they, the nine brothers, had acquired that Black Jade Box, it had taken the joint effort of all nine and several months to succeed.
"Second Brother, Sixth Brother, it’s very possible that Cha Hong had just broken the restriction when Eighth Brother went to rob him. The two might have had a fierce battle; as for their deaths, there might be a third party involved," Di Luan transmitted to Di Qing and Di Jian.
Di Qing and Di Jian both agreed with this.
"However, we still don’t know if Eighth Brother died in the Red Blood Cave Mansion or if he took the Black Jade Box and left, only to be killed on the way back," Di Luan also began to doubt at this moment, certain that there was definitely a hidden third person involved.
When exactly did this third person make their move?
"Qin Yu, where did Cha Hong die?" Di Luan demanded coldly to Qin Yu.
Qin Yu shook his head and said, "Your Highness, as to where exactly Cha Hong died, this subordinate doesn’t know either, because the battle took place in the Underground Secret Chamber Group. Yet, by the time the protectors arrived, there were no bodies in the Underground Secret Chamber Group."
"Not a single person?" Di Luan asked, frowning.
"Right, not a single person," Qin Yu confirmed.
How could there be any bodies? Back then, Qin Yu had destroyed the evidence by throwing the bodies into his Space Ring and then completely refining them with True Fire.
The three Di brothers were even more puzzled in their hearts.
Now it was certain that the Underground Secret Chamber Group was a battlefield, but why wasn’t there a single body?
Destroying the evidence!
The three brothers could only think of this.
"Take us to the Underground Secret Chamber Group. Let us see those battle traces," Di Jian suddenly demanded. With their strength, they could definitely make some rough deductions about the battle scene based on those traces.
Qin Yu’s face looked somewhat ugly as he said, "This... The battle also happened a year ago, and nearly half of the entire Underground Secret Chamber Group was destroyed. So, the Underground Secret Chamber Group has already been rebuilt, which means those battle traces are gone too."
"Gone?"
Di Jian, Di Qing, and Di Luan looked at Qin Yu with suspicion.
They suspected that Qin Yu had destroyed the evidence.
"Three Highnesses, the various Guard Team Captains and the Sixteen Guardians have also gathered in the great hall, and my two brothers have also arrived. If you have any suspicions, feel free to question them," Qin Yu said directly.
Qin Yu looked at the three Highnesses, with a hint of ferocity in his eyes.
"The three Highnesses keep interrogating this subordinate as if there is a great distrust. As for this, this subordinate has no solution, but you’re free to question anyone. True gold fear not the test of fire, this subordinate will lead the way now."
Without waiting for any reaction from the three Highnesses, Qin Yu headed straight toward the great hall.
"Eh?"
Di Luan’s face showed a hint of surprise; he didn’t expect Qin Yu to act so arrogantly at this time.
"If someone really was the murderer, facing us they would surely feel guilty and act with great respect," Di Luan transmitted his thoughts to Di Qing. "We ask them something, and they answer without fail, not daring to lose their temper. Yet this Qin Yu actually dared to lose his temper."
Di Qing nodded in agreement, "Right, let’s go question the others first."
Di Luan was clever, but his cleverness led him astray, for the false may be the truth and the true may also be the false. Many things are extremely hard to judge.
******
Atop the grand hall of the Red Blood Cave Mansion.
Where Qin Yu, Hou Fei, and Hei Yu were originally seated, now sat Di Jian and his two siblings. Led by the three Qin brothers, the sixteen guardians of the Red Blood Cave Mansion and the guard team captains were all listening to the commands of the three Cave Masters below.
"Cave Master Qin Yu, your second and third brothers aren’t very strong, are they?" Di Qing, sitting in the center, asked Qin Yu.
Hou Fei scratched his head, showing little concern for the three masters seated above; Di Qing was unaware that Qin Yu had long since ordered Hou Fei and Hei Yu to conceal their true power, while his own true strength subtly radiated out. Naturally, Di Qing and the others noticed that Hou Fei was at the late stage of Nascent Soul and Hei Yu at the middle stage.
"Your Highness, although my second brother is only at the late stage of Nascent Soul, he is also from an uncommon clan within the Water Apes, with extraordinary talent. He can match an early-stage Cave Void expert. And my third brother, he’s incredibly formidable among the Eagle Clan, second only to the Golden Flame Eagle," Qin Yu spoke up for Hou Fei and Hei Yu.
Upon hearing Qin Yu’s words, a hint of disdain appeared in the eyes of the three masters.
Whether it was the Fire-Eyed Water Ape or Little Black, both were extremely rare demon beasts. Using Uncle Lan’s words, there was only one Fire-Eyed Water Ape in the entire undersea demon cultivator world. And since Hou Fei was concealing his aura, how could the three masters notice his extraordinariness?
Completely hiding one’s strength is inferior to revealing just a hint of it, thus Qin Yu claimed Hou Fei could compare to an early-stage Cave Void.
Such strength didn’t catch the attention of the three masters.
"Those guardians who entered the underground secret chamber group and saw the traces of battle, come forward," Di Qing ordered sternly.
In an instant, the Xuan Turtle siblings, the two from the Wu clan Wu Tong and Wu Feng, Yan Qing, Xi Yan the two Snake Women, along with Teng Bi and Zhuang Zhong, all stepped forward. The nine guardians showed no arrogance before the three masters of the Nine Evils Hall, each one being exceedingly respectful.
"We will communicate through spiritual transmission, so don’t worry about anyone else discovering what you say. But... don’t lie, because I will ask all nine of you, and if I find someone’s answer differs from the others. If any two people’s answers differ, both will die!"
Di Qing’s voice grew cold.
The nine guardians’ hearts trembled.
Qin Yu frowned and immediately took a step forward, "Your Highness, if among these nine guardians someone lies and others do not, would that not cause harm to those speaking the truth?" Qin Yu felt compelled to at least make an effort on behalf of his people.
"Cave Master Qin Yu, step back, or die," threatened Di Jian, who had been resting with his eyes closed. His eyes suddenly snapped open and stared at Qin Yu with an icy glare full of murderous intent.
"Big Brother, this guy is too strong, even if I enter Frenzy State, I’m not sure I can defeat him. Better to hold back," Hou Fei, who was known for his violent temperament, communicated to Qin Yu, who clenched his teeth and reluctantly took a step back.
Di Jian gave Qin Yu a glance before closing his eyes to rest again.
The task of interrogating the guardians was left to Di Luan and Di Qing. Di Jian had come as the strongest enforcer, to prevent any unforeseen events. The Nine Evils Hall believed that unless Bishui Mansion’s Three-eyed Old Demon or the Green Dragon Palace’s Palace Master personally came, it was unlikely anyone could challenge Di Jian.
All nine guardians were incredibly nervous.
No one dared to lie because just one person’s lie might lead to the death of everyone.
Di Qing’s Spiritual Sense covered the Nine Guardians, so if the Nine Guardians secretly communicated with Spiritual Communication, Di Qing would definitely notice the fluctuations of their spiritual sense.
Time ticked by, second by second.
However, the entire great hall was terrifyingly silent.
"Next," Di Qing said coldly. Zhuang Zhong, who was the first to be questioned, now had beads of sweat on his forehead. Though he had been questioned, that did not mean Zhuang Zhong was out of danger. If the others’ answers differed from his, then both the others and Zhuang Zhong were marked for death!
Time passed, minute by minute.
One by one, the guardians were questioned, and it was an unbearable wait for Qin Yu.
"Big Brother, these people from the Nine Evil Hall are real bastards. They’re purposely troubling us. If they provoke me, I’ll start by bludgeoning one to death, and then you take care of that early-stage Cave Void guy. Finally, for the strongest, we’ll join forces and give him a beating!"
Hou Fei, facing this silent review, was clearly getting agitated too.
Because no one knew what Di Qing and Di Luan had asked or what they had found out.
The initial threats from Di Qing and Di Luan seemed to have an effect. After questioning eight guardians without any issues, it was now time for the ninth guardian, Ba Jian from the Xuan Turtle brothers.
"Boom!"
Di Qing suddenly waved his hand, shooting out a purple light. Ba Jian had no chance to resist and was blasted into smithereens.
"Hmph, you dare lie," Di Qing stood up abruptly, his gaze sweeping over the other eight guardians.
The faces of the eight guardians turned deathly pale, and a fierce glint flashed in Teng Bi’s eyes as he said, "Your Highness, we did not lie. If one person’s lies would lead to the death of eight innocent ones, we will not accept it, even at the cost of our lives."
"Silence!"
Di Jian, who had his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and bellowed loudly.
A wave of sound Qi Force shot out from Di Jian’s mouth with frightening speed. Teng Bi’s face changed drastically, and he quickly tried to dodge. But the sound Qi Force was too fast and still hit Teng Bi, sending him flying and spitting out two mouthfuls of blood upon landing.
Teng Bi was seriously injured!
The Late-stage Cave Void Purple Evil Flood Dragon was definitely on par with a Kongming Stage cultivator. With just a shout, it inflicted severe injuries on Teng Bi. The faces of the other eight guardians darkened as they realized if the three princes wanted them dead, they had no power to resist.
"Your Highness!"
Qin Yu spoke up as well, looking coldly at the three princes above.
Di Luan’s mouth curled into a cold smile. Stopping the raging Di Jian with a gesture, he said, "Since Cave Master Qin Yu has spoken, good. It appears the last guardian lied, so we will not implicate the other eight."
Yan Qing and the other eight guardians let out a sigh of relief.
However, Yan Qing and the other eight guardians did not know that the last guardian, Ba Jian, had not lied at all. His answers showed no contradiction or difference from those before him.
(End of Chapter Two. It’s the beginning of the month, so everyone, please cast a monthly vote to support Fang Qie~~~)
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